Remember When
by grillows.x3.forever
Summary: Gil and Catherine go back a longggg time... GC friendship, then something more... please read note at beginning of first chapter. don't really know the genre, so whatever lol. Eighth chapter now up! Wooh! No idea how long this will be! Please Review...Fa
1. When we first met

Note: So, for the sake of my story, Gil and Catherine are about the same age (Gil's a year older but in the same grade) and also both live in LV. But, to preserve a little of their pasts, Catherine moved from Montana and Gil from Marina Del Rey, CA.

Gil Grissom was not like most seven-year-olds. He didn't play kickball, he didn't like watching the older boys play football down the street, and he didn't like cartoons, unless they were about bugs. He didn't really have any friends either, except Jimmy next door, and he liked it that way.

Gil Grissom did not run to the unfamiliar bright yellow school bus at the end of the street, did not swing his lunch from his hand as he got on the bus. Instead, he took his time. He walked slowly down the newly-paved driveway of the newly-built house, palying attention to how the concrete felt under his new All Star blue sneakers. He saw a grasshopper hopping fast away from the bus, which was currently honking angrily at him.

As he reached the school bus, he turned and waved to his mother, who waved back. He turned around and took a step up onto the bus full of screaming and laughing kids. He walked to the back of the bus and took an empty seat, wishing that Jimmy rode the bus. He leaned his head on the closed dirty window covered in fingerprints and watched houses and streets go by, until the bus stopped. Gil looked through his frameless glasses, trying to see who was getting on…

Catherine Flynn jumped up onto the bus, eager to see her new classmates, but a little wary. She walked slowly to the back of the bus, trying to look confident, when she spotted a pair of curious blue eyes looking at her with interest from behind glasses. When the boy realized she caught his gaze, he blushed a little and turned to look out the window. She raised her eyebrow… he wasn't screaming and laughing with his friends like the other kids.

Catherine walked back to the boy's seat and plopped down next to him, setting her butterfly lunchbox on the ground. He turned his head towards her…

TBC


	2. We were so young

Gil Grissom looked over at the little strawberry-blonde that had just sat next to him. She was wearing shiny Mary-Janes and white socks with lace around the top, and a bright aquamarine sundress that matched her eyes. Her long hair was held up with blue hairbows and her bangs fluttered into her face.

"Hi!" She exclaimed, kicking her feet back and forth. She smiled a big smile at him and he blushed a little.

"Hi." He said softly back.

"My name's Catherine… Flynn." She stuck her hand out at him and he shook it.

"Gil… Gil Grissom." He smiled at her this time and she returned the action, still swinging her feet excitedly.

"I just moved here. From Montana."

"Really? I just moved from California!"

"Ooooh ocean!" She smiled. "Sounds cool. I liked Montana; it was nice there, but I like here better." The bus ground to a halt.

"So… who's your teacher?" She asked him.

"Ms. Grey." He replied.

"Oooh! Mine too!" She exclaimed excitedly as she hopped down from the seat and smoothed out her dress. She grabbed her butterfly lunchbox and stood back up. When she saw that her new friend wasn't moving, she tugged on his arm.

"Come on, Gil! The bus stopped!" She pulled his arm some more, but he didn't move. He looked away from her.

"I… I'm nervous. I've never had to go to a new school or move or anything before. And I don't know anybody."

"You don't gotta be nervous!" She exclaimed. "You know me…" she added softly and took his hand.

"I guess…"

"Ok? Let's go!" She exclaimed and pulled him to his feet. They walked to the front of the bus and Catherine hopped down, Gil following close behind. Catherine led him to the other first graders, who were lined up in front of the building, pulling his hand. She came to a halt in front of a woman with a nametag that said "Ms. Grey" on it in big, bold letters. The teacher bent down to their eye level.

"Well, hello! What are your names?" She asked them with a pleasant smile. Catherine grinned at her.

"I'm Catherine Marie Flynn." She stated proudly. "And this is Gil…something…Grissom. He's my new friend. We both just moved here"

"I'm your teacher, Ms. Grey." She said and shook both of their hands. "Our class room is this way." She said, motioning for them to follow her. They walked through a set of glass doors and turned down a hallway. She led them down a flight of stairs, both watching their feet and stumbling a little in their new shoes. They turned a corner into a bright hallway painted orange, green, and yellow. Orange lockers lined the walls between the three classrooms, evenly spaced in the hallway.

"Here is our class room." Ms. Grey said, gesturing toward the door in front of them. She motioned for them to go in, then followed behind.

"Wow… it's so big!" Catherine exclaimed excitedly as she gestured her arms towards the other end of the room. Gil nodded. "Oh! And bean bag chairs!" Catherine ran over towards the bean bag chairs and flopped into one. "Ahh."

Gil walked over to her with an amused look on his face as she sank into the chair. She looked up at him and pulled his arm, leading him to the chair next to her.

"Isn't this great?" She asked him.

"Yeah… I'm definitely not scared anymore." He replied as they shared a smile.

"Ok, class," Ms. Grey said from the front of the room as the students turned their attention to her. "Time to find your new seats." Catherine and Gil got out of the bean bag chairs.

"Let's go." Catherine said…


	3. We were best friends

**Note: Thanks for reading and reviewing and whatever, lol. Now, I know that Grissom's mother didn't teach at the deaf college, but let's pretend. Also, I couldn't find if Nancy was Catherine's older or younger sister, so I made her young.**

Catherine and Gil climbed onto the bus together, walking a few steps to an empty seat in the front row. Catherine slid in first to the window, setting her lunchbox next to the wall.

"Hmm… I think I like first grade." Catherine said as the bus began to move.

"Yeah, me too." He replied. "I like your lunchbox, by the way."

"Thanks." She grinned. "I just got it for my sixth birthday. How old are you, anyways?"

"I'm seven. My birthday was a few days ago."

"How come you moved to Las Vegas?" She asked a minute or so later.

"My mother wanted to teach at the deaf college here."

"Oh… is she deaf?"

"You like asking a lot of questions, don't you? Yeah, she lost her hearing when she was my age. She taught herself sign language."

"Wow, she knows sign language? Do you?" She asked with curiosity. Gil laughed at her enthusiasm.

"Yes, I do." He replied with a chuckle.

"Can you teach me?" Her eyes lit up.

"Well… it'll take a while and…." He said uncertainly. Catherine batted her eyelashes and pushed her lower lip out.

"Please?" she asked with puppy-dog eyes. "I'll be good and patient and…nice?" He laughed at the look on her face.

"Fine." He said with mock distaste. She glared at him and playfully punched him in the shoulder.

"Yay! Teach me something!"

"Like what?"

"Hmm… teach me how to say 'Hello, Mrs. Grissom.'" She said.

"Ok… so first you go like this." He said and began to teach her…

"Mrs. Beale! Nancy! I'm home!" Catherine yelled loudly, despite her size, as she slammed the front door and threw her pink backpack in the corner. Mrs. Beale, the babysitter, came in to the kitchen.

"Well, hello, Catherine! How was your first day of school?" Mrs. Beale asked.

"It was great! I have a new friend already! His name is Gil Grissom. He just moved, too. From California." She put her hands on her hips. "Where's my mother?"

"Oh, I'm sorry. She called and said she would have to work late tonight." Mrs. Beale said in a sympathetic tone.

"Oh. Ok." Catherine said and dropped her arms.

"How about I fix you and Nancy a snack?"

"Ok." Catherine said and slumped into a chair at the kitchen table…

Gil slammed his front door shut and ran to find his mother. He could hear clattering in the kitchen, and followed the noise. He found his mother making him a glass of chocolate milk.

"Hi, mom." He said and signed at the same time. She smiled at him.

"Hi, Gil." She signed and bent down to give him a hug. "How was your day?"

"It was good. I met this girl named Catherine."

"Oh, a girl, hmm?" She said, her speech slurred a little because of her condition.

"Mom!" He said and glared at her. She ruffled his curly brown hair.

"I'm just kidding. So, what's she like, then?"

"Well, she's talkative, for one. She likes to ask questions. She makes me laugh. Oh, and she wants me to teach her to sign so she can talk to you. I taught her a little on the bus."

"She definitely sounds very nice! Why don't you invite her over this weekend so I can meet her?"

"Ok!" He exclaimed and jumped into a chair at the table where his mother set the glass of chocolate milk and an apple…

"Hi, Catherine!" Nancy ran to hug her big sister. Catherine smiled at the little blonde three-year old, a mirror image of herself when she was that little.

"Hey, Nancy." Nancy looked up at her from where she was holding onto Catherine's waist.

"Whaddidja do at school?" Nancy asked curiously.

"I met a new friend. His name is Gil."

"Are you going to marry him?" Nancy asked with a smile.

"Nancy, I'm six!"

"I know, I know. Do ya like him?"

"Nancy, you have to like someone to be friends with them."

"Yeah, yeah. Just wait till you're at least ten to get married."

"Nancy! You're so silly." Catherine smoothed out her little sister's hair. With their mother not being home very often, Catherine always watched out for her sister. She lifted Nancy into the chair next to her. Mrs. Beale set two glasses of milk and some Oreo's in front of them.

"Catherine's going to get married to her new friend. Once she's ten, of course." Nancy said with a grin to Mrs. Beale, holding up ten fingers.

"NANCY!"

**TBC…**


	4. We cried together

** Author's Note: Sorry it took so long. My parents bought me a baby grand piano this weekend! So we had a lot of cleaning up to do where the old piano was. I'll try to update quicker this week… depends when the piano gets here xD**

Gil ran to the front door from the in the kitchen as the lights flickered.

"Doorbell, Gil." His mother called from the kitchen sink. He didn't bother telling her that he wasn't deaf too. He unlocked the door and swung it open, revealing Catherine with her sleeping bag and a small backpack with a stuffed dog sticking out of it.

"Hey, Cath." He said, smiling. She blushed a little at the nickname only he called her.

"Hey, Gil." She grinned. He opened the door all the way.

"Come on in." She stepped inside and set her belongings next to the stairs. "Want to meet my mom?"

"Yeah!" Catherine followed Gil into the kitchen. His mother was drying her hands on a plaid kitchen towel.

"Mom, this is Catherine." Gil said and signed. His mother smiled at Catherine.

"Hi, Mrs. Grissom!" Catherine said and signed, proud that she knew a little sign language.

"Hello, Catherine." Mrs. Grissom said with a slight speech impediment. "Why don't you have Gil give you the full tour."

"Uh… sure." Gil said. "Let's go."

…

"Wow, your house is nice!" Catherine said as she wandered down the second floor hallway, barefoot. "Your carpet is squishy." He gave her a strange look and she grinned at him.

"Here's my room." Gil said, pushing open a white door. Catherine followed him into the blue-painted room.

"Wow! Look at all this stuff!" Catherine exclaimed, looking at the tall bookshelf filled with sci-fi books, mostly written by Isaac Asimov. She ran her fingers over the books on the row beneath, all about bugs, most with words in the titles that she didn't understand. Catherine turned to the desk next to the bookshelf, piled high with more books.

"Like to read much?" Catherine asked sarcastically. She then noticed the clear glass cage on the corner of the desk. She climbed up onto the desk chair and peered into the cage.

"Is it… alive?"

"Yes. It's the African Red Baboon tarantula. The most feared of all arachnids, but basically harmless." Gil said and she turned to look at him with a raised eyebrow. "His name is George."

"You named it?"

"Him. I named him George, yes. He's a pet!"

"Riiiiiight." Catherine looked at him and he grinned. She shook her head and laughed. She walked over to the other wall and looked into a cage holding a chameleon.

"And what's his name?"

"George." She gave him a blank look and blinked. "Ok, his name is Shakespeare." She laughed and turned back to the wall, studying various posters hanging around.

"So, I'm guessing you like bugs, too?" She asked and he laughed.

"Yeah." She walked over to his bed and flopped onto it next to him.

"So… do you wanna set up our sleeping bags?"

"Yeah. Let's go." They exited Gil's room and ran down the steps, Catherine picking up her bags as they went by the front door. The two ran into the living room where Gil had thrown his sleeping bag and two pillows earlier.

"Hi, mom. We were going to set up our sleeping bags in my room." Gil signed.

"Ok. Do you need help?"

"Nah." Gil shook his head. Gil grabbed his sleeping bag and pillows from the corner and he and Catherine ran upstairs. They threw the sleeping bags in the middle of the room and sat on top of them, facing each other.

"Your mom seems real nice." Catherine said. "Really… mom-ish."

"Mom-ish?" Gil asked and smiled. Catherine smiled back, almost wistfully.

"Yeah… my mom was like that in Montana. But now Sam got her a new job and she's never home." Catherine's smile disappeared.

"Sam?"

"Yeah. He's the one that convinced my mom to move here… not that I mind him. He's like a father, really." Catherine looked away.

"What's your dad like…?" Gil asked cautiously. Catherine looked back to him.

"I… don't know my dad. My mom said he left a long time ago." She sniffed a little. "But it doesn't matter. I've got mom and Nancy and Sam… and you."

"Oh." The room grew silent. Suddenly, Catherine spoke up.

"I just… I just wish I had a dad to take care of me!" She almost shouted as tears began to form in her eyes.

"Me, too." He said quietly. It suddenly dawned on her.

"Where's your dad?"

"He died of a heart attack a few months ago." He kept his voice even, but felt his vision became blurry.

"Oh… I'm so sorry." Catherine pulled him into a hug and they cried together…

**Author's note: Wasn't that so randomly sad? lol. Since I'm not quite sure when/how Gil's dad died (I heard he was young and his dad had a heart attack on a hot day or something) you'll have to bear with me…. For chapter 5, I'm skipping all the way to 8th grade, so be prepared! They're not so innocent anymore :D **


	5. When we grew older

**Author's Note: What a treat, two chapters in a day! j/k. In this chapter, they're in eighth grade now (duh.) and they cuss a little, but it's nothing that bad anyways.**

"Bye, Nanc." Catherine said as her little sister entered the fifth grade classroom. Nancy waved and ran to her friends. Catherine walked up the stairs to the eighth grade hallway. She saw a familiar figure at the water fountain and ran towards the shadow. The figure stood up, a messy head of dark curly hair on top of a tall frame.

"Gil!" Catherine exclaimed and jumped towards him.  
"Cath! I haven't seen you in weeks!" He looked down at her and smiled.

"Yeah. We went on an epic journey back to Montana with Sam." She said and rolled her eyes.

"Well, good to have you back, then." He said and they slapped hi-fives. "You got your hair cut."

"Thanks for noticing, Gil. You're very observant." She said sarcastically as she shook her short, layered hair out of her eyes. "Is George still alive?"

"Trust me. You would have heard if he wasn't." Gil said seriously and she laughed.

"Ready for big, scary eighth grade?"

"Oh yeah." Gil said and they both laughed. "Let's see what crappy teachers we get this year."

"Yeah, won't that be fun?" Catherine said as they walked into their new homeroom. They took two seats in the back row and shoved them together. Catherine threw her messenger bag underneath the desk on the right and sat down sideways on the chair. Gil sat down next to her.

"I guess we could go find our lockers?" Gil suggested.

"Or we could get a can of pop." Catherine replied with a sly smile.

"I vote for that one." Gil said as they both jumped out of their seats.

"Race ya there." Catherine dared.

"You're on."

Catherine and Gil picked up their bags and hurried out of English.

"Well. I hate that class already." Catherine mumbled.

"Yeah… that teacher sure loves us. Not!" Gil said angrily. "I mean, she had no right!"

"You're telling me."

"What's she got on us? Saying 'Mr. Grissom! Would you please pay attention to what we're learning and stop flirting with you girlfriend?' GAHHH" Gil yelled and pounded his fist against the nearest locker. Catherine ran up behind him and grabbed his arm. He looked over at her.

"Gil! It's not going to get any better by yelling about it and denting school property!" She yelled, and then slammed her fist into the locker. She closed her eyes for a second, and then opened them. They stared at each other.

"Ok, so punching the locker helps a little." She said with ragged breath.

"I guess we should get to… whatever class we have next."

"Spanish." She said. They both stood up. "We'll get over this freaking whack-job teacher. Right? Hell, we'll probably end up with some stupid co-worker just like her.** ECKLIE!**

"Yeah… ok. Let's go, I guess." They started walking down the hallway.

"I've never seen you so angry before." Catherine said as they turned the corner.

"Likewise. But when someone messes with my best friend, I get pissed." He said and they smiled at each other as they entered Spanish I.

Catherine threw her bag on top of Nancy's blue backpack in the corner.

"What do we have for a snack?" Nancy asked as she walked into the kitchen. Catherine pulled a note off the back of the front door.

_Catherine & Nancy,_

_Working late. Went to_

_the store. See if you can_

_find something._

_Love,_

_Mom._

"Aren't you always working late." Catherine sighed and crumbled up the note. She walked into the kitchen and threw it away.

"Um… let's see what we have." Catherine said and rummaged through the cabinets. Nancy climbed onto a bar stool.

"Why are you so mad?" Nancy asked.

"I'm not mad!" Catherine yelled and stood up, hitting her head on a cabinet door. "OW! Now I'm mad!" Nancy pulled up a chair for Catherine and she slumped into it.

"Ok… so what's up?" Nancy asked as Catherine slammed her head on the table.

"Weh ahve deesh teech-"

"Put your head up!"

"We have this teacher whose sole purpose on this earth has to be just to piss Gil and me off."

"Why? What did she do?"

"She made fun of us the whole class! And she kept saying stuff to Gil about 'flirting with his girlfriend!'" Catherine slammed her head on the table again.

"Well, it's not like you _don't_ like him." Nancy said slowly.

"What?" Catherine lifted her head and glared at Nancy through her hair.

"You. Like. Him. Duh." Nancy said.

"Who?" Catherine asked. Nancy glared at her.

"GIL!" Nancy shouted.

"I do not!" Catherine shouted back.

"I'm ten not three. Yes you do."

"No, I do not."

"Whatever. Look, call when you find some food." Nancy walked out of the kitchen and down the hall, leaving Catherine staring after her…

**Author's OTHER note: So, doesn't Nancy just know everything! lol. Gil's so protective. Sort of. I based this off a stupid teacher of mine who always teased me and my friend Ben like that through our whole religion class. What a &$#. Ok. Done.**


	6. We were as close as ever

**Author's Note: Yay, it's December now! That's about all… they're still in eighth grade.**

Catherine and Nancy walked to the bus in the falling snow. She pulled her coat black coat tighter around her, keeping out the chilly breeze. She adjusted her black ski cap as she climbed onto the bus full of kids bundled up in winter clothes. She saw Gil's black baseball cap and walked toward it. Nancy climbed into a seat with her friend in the front row.

"Snow? In Vegas? What do we all think this is, December?" Catherine asked as she sat down on the seat.

"Hmm judging by the fact that most people have their Christmas lights up, I think it _is_ December." Gil said back and she laughed. The bus started.

"You goin' to the winter dance?" Catherine asked.

"Do you wanna go?" He asked back. _I am so bad at this_, he thought.

"Oh, no. I hate dancing." Catherine said and turned away.

"Cath." He said and glared at the back of her head. She turned and met his eyes. "Do you wanna go?"

"Are you asking me to go to the dance?" Catherine asked innocently and batted her eyelashes. Gil smacked her arm with his gloved hand.

"Fine." He sighed. "Yes, m'lady, I am asking thee to go to the dance."

"I'm flattered!" Catherine exclaimed in a high pitch voice and placed a hand over her open mouth. He hit her arm again. "Ok, ok. Are you sure **you** wanna go?"

"If you want." He replied.

"Ok. But you get to come to the mall with me after school now." She smiled sweetly at him.

"What did I do to deserve this punishment? Didn't I just ask you to a dance!"

"Well, when you go to a dance, you have to get a new outfit!" She exclaimed excitedly.

"You…do?"

"Yes!" Catherine grabbed his hand. "Now come on! We have to go endure more stupid teachers harassing us!"

…

Catherine walked into the mall with Gil following far behind.

"Ok, so first I was-" Catherine turned to find that she was talking to air. She saw Gil trudging his feet through the snow slowly outside the glass doors. She groaned and rolled her eyes, then pushed open the set of doors. She ran over to him.

"Gil! Mall! Forward! Go!" Catherine yelled in his ear.

"But I hate shopping!" He yelled back.

"Oh quit your whining! I'm not your mother; I'm your best friend!"

"But-"

"Will you do it… for me?" She walked up until her face was centimeters away. She had him, and she knew it. His eyes grew wide.

"Ok." She stepped back and grabbed his arm.

"Then let's go!" She shouted as he groaned at what just happened….

Gil stared at all the dress shirts with a puzzled look on his face. Catherine had left him and ran off to the dresses. He sighed and picked up a black shirt. _No, can't wear that. She'll kill you! _He set it back down and picked up a navy blue shirt. _Better._ He picked up a pair of black pants and walked off to find Catherine.

…

Catherine walked around the dress department. She flipped through a rack of bright dresses. _No, no, no, no. No, no… oh hell no! No… no… yeah!_ She picked up a midnight blue halter-top dress with light blue layers at the bottom. She ran to the escalator and hopped on to go find Gil. She looked at the up escalator as she went down and saw a figure waving at her. She looked closer to see Gil, waving and grinning, as he went up. She groaned and ran down the escalator, got on the other one, and ran back up….

Catherine threw her shirt over the top of the dressing room. Gil looked at it curiously from the room next door.

"Don't touch that." She said over the wall and he grinned to himself in the mirror.

"Fine." He said and he heard her laugh. He buttoned up his shirt and she pulled up her dress.

"This looks… so stupid with gym shoes." He said and laughed.

"You're telling me. I'm wearing pink Converse!" She said over the wall as she looked in the mirror.

"You done?"

"Yeah." She heard his door unlock and swung hers open. She took a look at him and swore her jaw dropped to the floor.

"You look…" She trailed off. He glanced at her and his eyes grew wide.

"You look…" _Hot!_ He thought. _GAHH! DON'T THINK THAT! _"Amazing!"

"So un-Gil-ish!" He glared at her. "No, really! You look really different…. I kinda like it."

"Thanks… I think. You look different, too."

"You are so buying that." She said, looking at his blue shirt.

"You are so buying that!" He said back and she blushed. They stood there for a minute.

"Uh… ok. I guess we should pay." He said.

"Yeah. Ok." She replied and walked back into her room…

**Author's other note: Hah my friends and I do what Catherine did earlier out in the snow whenever our guy friends don't wanna do anything… I swear it works xD.**


	7. We thought alike too

**Author's Note: Ok so this goes between whatever day you want it to be that is before Friday and then to Friday.**

"Mom, I'm going to a dance on Friday." Catherine yelled as she walked into the kitchen. She listened for an answer.

"That's nice, dear." Nancy said as she walked into the kitchen. Catherine groaned.

"Where's mom?"

"Where do you think?" Nancy gave Catherine a "duh" look. Catherine sighed.

"Work."

"Correct!" Nancy exclaimed as if she were a game show host. "Who are you going to a dance with?"

"Gil." Catherine replied.

"Aww! How cute! Are you gonna kiss him?" Nancy asked excitedly.

"Nancy!" Catherine glared at her sister. "No. He does not want to kiss me."

"Oh, but you wanna kiss him?"

"NO!" _Yes. _Catherine smacked her forehead. _Stop thinking that. _"That's not what I meant."

"Didja get a new dress?" Nancy asked curiously. Catherine nodded and pulled her dress out of the bag.

"Ohhhh. Pretty!" Nancy exclaimed as she looked at the dress. "Did your boyfriend get a new outfit?" Catherine smacked Nancy's arm. "OW! Just a simple question!"

"Yes. A blue shirt and black pants."

"Aww, you'll match! Now you have to kiss him!" Nancy yelled as she ran out of the kitchen, Catherine chasing her close behind.

…

"Mom, I'm going to a dance Friday." Gil signed to his mother from the doorway of the living room.

"Oh, your first dance!" His mother said. He rolled his eyes. "Did you ask someone to go?"

"Yes. Catherine." He replied. He blushed a little.

"Oh, how sweet." Gil glared at his mother. "What's in the bag?"

"A new outfit." He replied and showed it to her.

"Oh you'll look great!" His mother exclaimed.

"Yeah, yeah." He said and his mother laughed.

…

Catherine pulled on her dress and looked in the mirror. _God, I'm so nervous. Why am I nervous? He's my best friend! But… _She shook her head a few times. She smoothed out the wrinkles in her dress and slipped into her silver shoes. She checked her alarm clock. Gil's mother was giving them a ride to the dance. _Time to go! Don't be nervous!_ She thought and grabbed her purse.

…

Gil buttoned the top button on his shirt and tied his black shoes. He hated getting dressed up, but didn't mind for Catherine. _Ok, breathe. Stop being nervous. She's your best friend. Who happens to be really good looking. Ahhh! _He shook the thought out of his head. He needed to stop thinking these things. Gil ran down the stairs to find his mother.

…

Catherine stood by the front window, looking for Gil's mother's car. As the car pulled in, she ran outside and yelled "Bye!" to Nancy on her way out.

Gil got out of the car and opened the back door.

"For you, m'lady." He said and bowed. Catherine giggled.

"Why, thank you, kind sir!" She replied dramatically and curtsied. Catherine climbed into the car and sat on the seat. Gil followed behind.

"How are you, Catherine?" Mrs. Grissom asked, looking back at Catherine.

"I'm good. How are you?" Catherine signed.

"I'm good too." Mrs. Grissom signed back. She turned around and started the car. Catherine turned to Gil, who was staring into space. She leaned closer and he finally looked at her.

"Am I disturbing you?" She asked.

"Yes."

"Good." She replied and smiled. He smiled back weakly. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing." He said quickly. _I'm nervous, dammit! That's what's wrong!_

"Nothing." She narrowed her eyes. She poked him and he jumped. "That doesn't seem like nothing."

"I'm fine. Really."

"Are you… nervous?"

"Yeah." He said after a minute.

"Me too." Catherine said. They sat there for a minute when Catherine suddenly burst out laughing.

"Cath…?" Gil asked questioningly. Catherine slowly calmed down.

"Why are we nervous! We've known each other since we were little!"

"I… I don't know!" Gil exclaimed as they both started laughing. The car pulled into the parking lot.

"Let's go." Catherine said and they both swung open their car doors…

**Author's other note: Sorry I had to make a whole chapter for getting ready, but I thought it would be a little weird to have them just be at the dance all of a sudden.**


	8. We became so much more

**Author's Note: So… it gets a little romantic! Well about as romantic as 8th graders can be. xD Thanks for all of the reviews!**

Catherine and Gil walked into the gym. A woman at a small table stopped them.

"Names, please?" The woman asked impatiently.

"Gil Grissom, Catherine Flynn." Gil said as the woman checked off their names on a list.

"Thank you." The woman said and nodded towards the main gym entrance. Catherine and Gil walked to the door. Gil opened the door and Catherine smiled at him. She walked through the door and Gil followed behind.

"Wow!" Catherine murmured as they stared at the gym. Snowflakes made of cardboard hung from the ceiling and streamers and balloons were everywhere.

"Looks way better than usual." Gil said over the loud music that blared out of speakers throughout the gym. Catherine looked longingly at the blue-lit center of the gym where many of the others were dancing. She then looked at Gil and smiled.

"What…?" He asked warily.

"Dance with me." She said. He groaned.

"Caaaaath."

"What?" She glared at him. "You asked me to a dance… but don't want to dance." He sighed.

"But I don't know _how _to dance!"

"Come on." She grabbed his hand. "I'll teach you."

"Fine." Catherine led him out to the dance floor.

"Ok. Dancing 101. Put your hands on my waist." Catherine said calmly.

"What!" Gil exclaimed, eyes wide. _Damn, this is_ not _helping. _Catherine took his hands and placed them on her waist. He gulped.

"There." She put her arms around his neck loosely.

"Ok... Uh… now what?" Gil asked nervously.

"Now… you just sway back and forth." She started swaying to the music. "Like this." She guided him.

"Ok…" He said. "So, I'm not too bad of a dancer, right?"

"No." She laughed and looked up at him. He smiled down at her. _Heehee. _She laughed in her head at her next idea. She smiled slyly and decided to take it a step further. She pulled him closer and laid her head on his shoulder. He shivered, and she smiled to herself. This was better than she thought. When the song was over Catherine pulled back and looked up at him again. He leaned a little closer.

"Gil…" She stammered. "What are we doing?"

"Well…" He trailed off as he closed the distance between them and kissed her softly on the lips.

"Oh!" She exclaimed softly and smiled at him. He smiled back. "So… still nervous?"

"No." He said and laughed as he pulled her closer to dance again. He could smell her shampoo as they swayed back and forth. She smelled like strawberries and vanilla. _What's going on here?_ He asked himself.

_What are we doing? _She thought._ Well, whatever it is, I like it._

When the song was over, they pulled apart again.

"Want a drink?" He asked her.

"Sure. Let's go see what they have." They walked towards a table with drinks on it. Each grabbed a cup of Coke. They walked over to a wall and leaned against it as they sipped on the drinks.

"Gil, really, what are we doing?" Catherine asked as she looked at her drink.

"Cath… I don't know." He said honestly and shrugged. She sighed.

"We better figure out, then…"

"Cath. I've liked you since I met you. And not just as a friend." He said. He had finally admitted it. He breathed a sigh of relief.

"Really?" She asked and he nodded. "Well, in that case, me too." His eyes lit up when she said it. He grabbed her hand and led her back out to dance…

Catherine shut the front door and locked it. She smiled to herself as she thought about the night. Suddenly, she noticed the note taped to the door.

_Cath,_

_By the time you're home,_

_I'll have just left. Make sure_

_Nancy's ok and lock up._

_Love,_

_Mom._

Catherine groaned and threw the note into the trash can in the kitchen. She walked up the stairs and heard Nancy's TV blaring the theme to some crime show. She walked into Nancy's room to find Nancy already asleep. She turned the TV off and Nancy stirred a little.

"Mom?" Nancy asked sleepily.

"No, its Cath. Mom went to work."

"Oh." Nancy sat up a little. "How was the dance?"

"Good. It was great." Catherine sat on the edge of her sister's bed.

"Didja kiss him!" Nancy asked with a sleepy smile. Catherine paused for a moment.

"Yeah."

"Really?" Nancy asked excitedly. "Wow! I told you!" Catherine smiled into the darkness.

"You can predict the future, Nanc." Catherine said softly and laughed. She got up and walked out of her sister's room, pausing at the doorframe.

"Night, Nanc."

"Night, Cath."

…

**Author's other note: So. Doesn't Nancy know it all…again? lol. A couple more chapters as 8th graders, then I think I'll skip to high school graduation then present time. Tell me what ya think!**


End file.
